I agree. One of the most beautiful trailers I have ever seen. I have no idea what the actual story is but I want to see it. The images and words in the trailer and on the TOL official website seemed vaguely familiar. I did a little Googling and rediscovered an article from the August 1998 issue of Vanity Fair about the story of how The Thin Red Line was brought to the screen. Below is a quote from the article discussing a project Malick was working on shortly after Days Of Heaven was released:

Exhausted and bruised by Days of Heaven, Malick spent considerable time with his girlfriend, Michie Gleason, in Paris. While she directed a film called Broken English, he labored in their Rue Jacob apartment on his new script, tentatively entitled Q. Its prologue, which dramatized the origins of life, became increasingly elaborate and would ultimately take over the rest of the story. Malick shuttled between Paris and Los Angeles, where he hired a small crew, including cameraman Ryan and special-effects consultant Richard Taylor, who worked intensely for a year or so to realize Malick’s vision. “He wanted to do something different, get images nobody had ever seen before,” recalls Ryan. In one version, the story began with a sleeping god, underwater, dreaming of the origins of the universe, starting with the big bang and moving forward, as fluorescent fish swam into the deity’s nostrils and out again. “Terry was one of the coolest guys I ever worked with,” says Taylor. “He had a passion for trying to do things from the heart. The amount of work we produced was phenomenal.” Malick dispatched cameramen all over the world—to the Great Barrier Reef to shoot micro jellyfish, to Mount Etna to shoot volcanic action, to Antarctica to shoot ice shelves breaking off. “He was writing pages of poetry, with no dialogue, glorious visual descriptions,” Ryan continues.

Now that is an ambitious project. Perhaps TOL is Malick's attempt to address some of these issues in, hopefully, a coherent story. So far, it is the 2011 film I am most looking forward to.

Edited By kaytodd on 1292556492

The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving. It's faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life worth living. Oliver Wendell Holmes

Why has Fox Searchlight decided to release Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, which they've just acquired from Bill Pohlad, until 2011? Theoretical Answer #1: They don't want to complicate or compromise their already-underway campaigns for Black Swan<:em>, 127 Hours, Never Let Me Go and Conviction. TheoreticalAnswer #2: Even if they've decided thatBlack Swan and 127 Hours are their only serious contender, they're figuring they can't ramp up a new Tree campaign fast enough. I think they're wrong but what do I know? I guess the Malick will finally peep through in Cannes 2011 after all.

“‎Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” - Voltaire

Odd. If it's so great, why not release it this year? Because Searchlight already has its horses for '10? Though Searchlight picking it up would appear to be a positive sign.

“Tree of Life” Finally Takes Root as Fox Searchlight Makes Dealby Peter Knegt (Updated 17 minutes ago) A scene from "The Tree of Life."Terrence Malick’s highly anticipated and long delayed “The Tree of Life” has finally found a plan of release. Fox Searchlight Pictures announced today that the company has acquired U.S. rights from River Road Entertainment for the film, which stars Brad Pitt and Sean Penn and was previously set for release by problem-plagued Apparition Films.

“Terrence Malick has crafted a deeply moving, keenly observed and magisterial film,” said Fox Searchlight Pictures Presidents Stephen Gilula and Nancy Utley in a statement. “Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and the entire cast’s performances are simply amazing. This is a signature film by a signature filmmaker and we are proud to be releasing it.”

The film was produced by Bill Pohlad, Sarah Green, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Grant Hill. Fox Searchlight Pictures will release the film in 2011.

“Terry Malick has given us another masterpiece that is both profoundly moving and stunningly beautiful,” said Pohlad in a statement. “And there is no better partner than Fox Searchlight to bring this film to audiences. Their ability to distribute and market independent films with a passion and creativity is incredibly rare in our industry.”

The deal was brokered on Fox Searchlight’s side by Executive Vice President of Worldwide Acquisitions Tony Safford and Senior Vice President of Business Affairs Megan O’Brien. Mitch Horwits, President of River Road Entertainment negotiated on behalf of the company.